flint



J. H. FLINT.

(No Model.)

PUZZLE.

Patented June 23, 1896.

WI NESSES- AN DREW B GRAHAM PNDIO-LNHU.WASHINGTON DC w imam nection with the accompanying drawings, is

ATENT- I E.

UZZLE.

a srncrrrcnrion forming part of; LettersPatent No. 563,384, dated June 23, 1896, p

Application filed January 27,1896, Serial in. 576,918. mummies To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that LJUNIUSl-I. FLINT, residing at Salem, in thecounty of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement; inToy Puzzles, ofwhich the following, taken in c011- a specification.

consisting generally of a board havingpocle The present invention relates to improvements in devices of the class of toy puzzles ets in which balls are deposited by rocking or shaking the board by hand; and it consists of the improved form and arrangement of parts and of the novel combinationshereinafter described and claimed. Thepresent invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichl Figurel is a plan View of a toypuzzleembodying the same, showing the balls loose upon the board. Fig. 2 is a section on line the sides a, of cardboard or othersuitable material, which keep the balm-hereinafter describechnpon the board A. To the board a i 00 01;,Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 is a planiviewshowing the balls in the pockets.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings,A represents t-heboa rd of my improved puzzle, which is provided with A are secured the pins 19, which are arranged thereon ingroups to form the rectangular pens or pockets B B B 1.

The pockets B, B, and three rows, running straight across theboard A, two of the rows being placed adjacent to opposite ends, and the third located near the center of the board A. a

The pockets 13,13, and B are open at one end and closed at'the other. The pockets B and B in the two outer rows open toward at or each other, and the pockets B, in the intermediate row, open alternately in opposite dia rections, so that one pocket B opens in the same direction that the pockets B open, and the next adjacent pocket B opens in the same direction that the pockets B open. This arrangement of pockets makes the puzzle very difficult ofsolution, since the tendency is for any of theballs whichhave been caught in the outer pockets to become displaced while B are arranged in effort is being mad e to place other or the balls in theintermediate pockets, and vice versa.

To further increasethedifficulty of solving the puzzle, the pocketsB B B are formed of difierent widths, the most difficult arrange-u ment being that shown in the drawings, in

which thewidth of each pocket differs from that of every other pocket. Q

f f, &c., represent a series of removable balls, which are adaptedto enter the pockets B, B, and B In practice the balls f are the common formof toy marbles. In their form the balls f are of different diameters, so that any ball f will enter certain of the pockets B,

B, and B and will not enterother of said pockets.

The arrangement which makes the puzzle the most difficult of solution is that shown in the drawings, in which the diameter of each ball f differs from the diameter of every other ball f, and corresponds substantially with the diameter of oneof the pockets.

It will be readily seen that, withthe ar rangement last described, to place all the balls in the pockets, and each in a separate pocket, requires each ball to be placed in the particular pocket to which it is fitted.

As shown, there is one ball foreach pocket, but if desired twoor more balls maybe fitted to enter the same pocket and such arrangement will involve no departure from the present invention. a

The puzzle is solved by takingthe board in the hand, the balls being loose thereon, and so manipulating it that a ball is placed in each of the pockets, it being of course understoodthat the balls are not to be touched by the fingers.

Having thusdescribed my invention and its use, I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. As an improvement in toy puzzles the hereindescribed rectangular board as A having the sides or flanges a and provided with pockets as B B B B one at each of the cor-h ners said pockets opening inward and lengthwise ofthe board and with pockets as B B pockets being of different sizes and adapted to receive different-sized balls which roll upon the board, said balls corresponding in number and size With the openings in the pockets, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the rectangular board A provided With the sides or flanges a and pockets as B, B B B B, B arranged at the corners and near the middle of the board, the corner-pockets arranged to face each other and those at the center facing lengthwise of the board and in opposite directions, the several pockets being each provided With an opening differing in size from the others, With the balls ff adapted to roll on the board and of numbers and sizes corresponding to the openings in the pockets on said boa-rd, substantially as described.

3. A rectangular board having raised flanges about its edges as ct and a series of pockets for the reception ofbal-ls as B, B B,

my hand, in the presence of two attesting Witnesses, at said Lynn, this 23d day of January, 1896.

J UNIUS H. FLINT.

Witnesses:

GEo. E. MILNER, A. E. WHYTE. 

